Electric signaling device



R. R. ROOT.

ELECTRIC SIGNALING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 8, 191a.

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Patented Jan. 20, 1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFIGE.

RALPH R. ROOT, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

ELECTRIC SIGNALING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent. 7

PatentedJan. 20, 1920.

Application filed February 8, 1915. Serial No. 6,683.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RALPH R. Room, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Electric Signaling Devices, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a signaling device of the type which is generally known as electric horns. The particular horn herein shown and described is of the vibrator type and is an improvement upon the horn disclosed in my application, Serial No. 815,343, filed January 30, 1914, Patent No. 1,160,766, issued Nov. 16, 1915.

The object of the invention is to improve the construction of an electric vibrator horn,

simplifying the construction and enabling the horn to be produced at low manufacturing cost.

Generally speaking, the invention comprises the elements and combinations there.- of set forth in the accompanying claims.

Reference should be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this speci fication, in Which Figure 1 is an elevation with parts in section ofthe horn of my invention; Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the horn with the casing surrounding the working parts in section; and Fig. 3 is an enlarged section of the condenser shown in Fig. 1.

In the drawing at 1 there is shown what I term a base,- the same being a saucershaped element having an opening at substantially the central portion thereof. With this opening there cooperates an amplifier generally represented at 2.

The base 1 is formed with a shoulder 2, whichextends entirely around the base, and upon this shoulder rests a diaphragm 3. This diaphragm is made of flexible material. A. support 4} having an offset flang 5, has the flange portion thereof resting against the diaphragm 3 and the flanged portion extends outwardly so as to lie above the shoul. der 2 of the base 1. The base 1 has an extending portion 6 which is adapted to be folded around the edge of both the diaphragm 3 and the flange of the support so that the base 1, the diaphragm 3 and the flange 5 are all held together as a unitary structure.

At the central portion of the support 4: there is an opening through which extends a head 7 carried by a central core 8. This core has an opening through thecentral portion thereof, and through the opening there extends a post 9. This post at one end is unsecured, and its opposite end is fastened in any desired manner to substantially the central portion of the diaphragm 3.

Resting upon the support 4:, and surrounding the core 8 is a cup-shaped member 10. This cup-shaped member is provided with a central opening through which extends the head 7 of the core 8. The portion of the head 7 which extends beyond the support 4 is upset so that the core 8 and the cup-shaped member 10 'are securely held upon the support 4.

The cup-shaped member 10 has an extention 11 which is bent so as to raise the level of the extension above the top of the cup 10. This extension and the upper portion of the cup are provided with a downwardly extending flange 11 for the purpose of stiffenmg the construction.

The extension 11 is formed integral with the cup 10 so that by a stamping operation the cup and its extension may be formed.

The extension 11; supports an armature 12 and the make and break members which will be presently described.

The armature 12 is supported upon a spring plate 13, the end of this plate resting upon the extension 11. Above the plate 13 is a spring 14 which carries one of the contacts 15. This spring extends to substantially' the central portion of the armature l2, and the end of the spring 15 passes beneath a transversely extending retaining member 16. As 'the armatli re moves, the retaining member will act to positively move the spring member 15 and thus positively operate the make and break device. The spring 14 is insulated from the spring 13, as indicated at 17.

Above the spring 14 is a second spring provided with suitable openings through which extend screw bolts 21. These screw bolts entend through openings termed in the extension 11, and thus secure the various elements recited "to the extension 11. The openings in the members 13, 1d and 13 through which the bolts 21 extend are made sulliciently large so that the shanks of the bolts do not touch the plates while the openings in the insulating members are made of proper size to just it the shanks of the bolts. These precautions prevent short-circuiting. I

The post-9 which has heretofore been described, extends slightly beyond the core 8, but the end thereof is spaced a slight distance from the armature 12. In operation the attraction of the armature causes the armature to strike a blow against the post 9, which bloW is transrni ted to the diaphragm 3, causing the diaphragm 3 to vibrate and produce a sound which continues'as long as a succession of blows is imparted to the post 9 by the armature 12.

Within the cup 10-is a coil 22, which sur rounds the core 8. This coil is of usual construction, and requires no description. The coil is held in the cupv 10 by means of a top plate 23 Which is secured in any desired manner. I

A yoke 24 is carried by the support t to which it is secured. This yoke extends above and across the electro-magnet and armature. The yoke is provided with two screws 25 and 25, Which receive the conductors from the battery.

One ofthe conductors coming from the battery will be secured to the screw 25, while the other conductor will be secured to the screw 25*. Y Y

There is a conductor 26 extending from the screw 25 which enters an opemng 10 in the cup 10. This conductor is secured to one of the terminals of the coil 22, while the other terminal of the coil is connected with a conductor 27 which may be secured to the extension 14E upon the plate 1a. Another conductor 28 may be utilized to connect the extension 18 of the plate 18 with the screw 25*.

The screw bolt 25 is insulated from the conductors cooperating with the lower portion of the element 24.

' The operation of the horn is as follows: With the parts in the position shown in the drawing, and the electric current supplied to the entering conductors, current will fiow between the contacts 14: and 15 and through the coil 22. This will cause the armature 12 to be attracted toward the cup 12 and impart a blow to the post 9. The movement of the armature will break the electrical to construct an edicient horn at a very low cost of manufacture.

A cover 40 incloses all the operating elements of the horn. It is provided with a flange around the lower portion thereel which engages the support a and against the shoulder formed in this support by the offset flange 5. The cover lO is held to the yoke 24 by a'screw il.

Tn horns oi the type herein disclosed there A is apt to be trouble due to sparking betweei the contact points of the make and brea: device.

It is possible to substantially eliminate this spark by providing a separate path for the current which would be flowing between the contacts at the time of break, The current induced in the coil by the breaking or the circuit is caused to pass into a condenser which is represented at 29. The terminals of the condenser, 30 and 31, are secured in parallel with the contact points 14, 15, the connectors 30, 31, being connected with the portions 13 and 146*. The condenser 29 is made up of strips of tin foil which are alternately arranged, with intermediate strips of insulating material, that is to say, ordinary and usual condenser construction.

The projecting portions of the tin foil upon each side of the condenser are pressed against brass rings 32 and 33. To the brass rin 32 is connected the connector 30, and to rass ring 33 the connector '31 may he connected.

These elements when assembled are wrapped in material which securely envelops the tin foil and rings as indicated 34, and a casing formed from two telescoping parts 35 and 36, envelope the whole. The form thus imparted to the condenser is'that of a hollow. ring, and the interior diameter of the casing is such as to snugly fit over the cup 10. The fit may be suitficiently snug so that it will require no additional means for holding the condenser in place on the cup 10 than the friction of the engagement.

It will be seen that at the time off the parting of contacts 14: and 15 the current then flowing will find a path into the condenser and there be absorbed.

Having described my invention, l claim:

1. In an electric signaling device, the combination with a supporting means, of

diaphragm carried by supporting 1 an electromagnet, an armature for the electromagnet, means for communicating the movement of the armature to the diaphragm, a resilient member supporting the armature, means for supporting the resilient member, a pair of contact members supported adjacent the armature, but independently of the armature and extending over the same, a cross member supported by the armature which cross member normally overlies one of the contact members, the said cross member slidably engaging and moving one of said contact members when the armature is attracted.

2. In a signaling device, the combination of a supporting means, a diaphragm carried porting means, a cover incasing the operating parts of the device said cover being secured to the yoke.

3. In a signaling device, the combination of a support having an offset portion, a diaphragm secured to the support, an electromagnet carried by the support, an armature, means for transmitting the vibration of the armature to the diaphragm,- a make and break device, a yoke carried by the support, a cover resting against the sup ort and engagingthe shoulder of the 0 set portion ans means for securing the cover to the o e. y In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

RALPH R. ROOT.

Witnesses:

A. J. HUDSON, C. V. SGHURGER. 

